Valentine Favorites 2014

                                                                 Photo from BellaBlvd.com

Here are some of my favorite Valentine Ideas I found through internet searches and Pinterest. Love every single one of them. So many great ideas. http://www.pinterest.com/papercuties/valentine-ideas/

VALENTINE 2014 ENSEMBLE

Here are the projects for my upcoming  Feb. Workshop.

 I'm using the new Water Color Wonder Washi Tape #133000, Gold Sequin Trim #132983, Scalloped Tag Topper Punch #133324, Gold Baker's Twine #132975, Gold Encore ink #132141, Gold Foil Sheets #132622, Sweet Heart Treat bags #134610, and Red Glimmer Paper #121790

I was completely inspired from a couple samples I found on Pinterest. I used their idea but added red to make it more my own. I love the simplicity of the white, gold, and red. 

Its hard to see all the layers of the white on white card. I have a white layer edged with gold and mounted onto white card base, I used a white heart doily in between the tag and card. I inked the edge of the tag with gold and added gold washi and sequins. I punched tag and decorative label, inked edges with gold, and added a red glimmer heart . 

I changed the treat bags to gold accents instead of turquoise that came in the kit. I used the gold twine and foil paper. I made a tag wrapper for around a Ghirardelli peppermint bark square ( red and white stripes with gold accents). I got the idea here. 

I found these adorable glass keys and the mercury glass mini bottles at Target after Christmas for $2.50 each. They were Christmas ornaments but I knew right away what I wanted to do with some of them. I added some red and gold foliage inside the mini bottle and some seam binding bows on the key for adorable Valentine decorations.  

Monochromatic Gold Birthday Tag

Playing around with Stampin' Up!'s new gold  Water Color Wonder #133000 Washi Tape. Love, love, love washi. This is also my first dabble using Seam Binding for Ribbon. I love, love, love that stuff too. 

It just so happened that the gift boxes that the presents I ordered online came in the colors that match so well with the gold tape and binding. It looks great together!

Sshhhhhhh... these are birthday gifts for a couple of my oldest, dearest girlfriends. 

Pink & Green Stylish Baby Card

Here is my take on a simple, non traditional baby shower card. I love good old green and pink together. This image is from KATIE & CO. named Maternity. I think I found this stamp for $1 at a discount store many years ago.  This is my go to image, I use it for all my baby shower cards lately. Its easy to color and perfect to add to the front of cards or tags. I always wrap my gifts to match the cards I make ( its my little OCD, I guess). I had some extra yarn leftover from a finger knitting project and used it to tie around the pink package. 

Snowman Memo Pad and Tag

I love covering these small memo pads with fun papers and cute images. This image and verse come from a set made by Darcie's Heart & Home. I added SU! googlie eyes for further whimsy. I bundled these together adding a couple matching pencils and another magnetic notepad. I love the bright colors. I  used Hershey kisses as filler. I will use this as a door prize at my upcoming home workshop. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2013

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS

HALLOWEEN TREAT PACKAGING 2013

tag a bag gift bags, Washi Tape, misc paper journal pieces, MS Halloween stamps. I used the bag for a Reeses Peanut Butter cup and a Halloween Card. 

Candy Corn cardboard box, colored candy apples, accent ribbon make the perfect gift container. This one has a medium Halloween pillar candle in it. 

I recycled a chocolate container (Target) using various Halloween papers and adding a ghost image on top. I glued plastic spiders all around the container and added a cute Halloween votive holder and pumpkin candle in it. 

GRIM REAPER HALLOWEEN- Just for Fun

This is way outside of my box. My husband tells me that most of my cards and projects are feminine. I saw these couple stamps and thought this was more masculine and a little creepy. I inked the background using Distress inks and water. I stamped both images with black. I used a white uniball gel pen to add accents to the house and moon. I used a Distress marker to add detail to the grass.  I cut out the fence and the grim reaper and mounted them using pop dots.  I stamped the small witch over the moon using permanent black ink. Done! A quick, non traditional color Halloween card with a creepy masculine flair. 

DREAMS OF ART- Studio 490

I used distress inks ( olive, mustard, and barn door) for the background. I stamped the cup rings with SPILLS AND SPLATTERS (CMS028) from SA. The flowers are done with DREAMS OF ART- STUDIO 490 ( LCS006) from SA. I used Accent #2 from Sizzix for the swirls. Love the brightness of the flowers on the craft dyed background. I hope the recipients like them as much as I do. 

HAPPY H-OWL-OWEEN- Stampendous

Got this stamp yesterday clearanced  at Michael's from $15 down to $6 (score!). I LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOVVVEEE owls. I also love Halloween and thought this was a perfect mix of both. 

I stamped onto craft cs using black ink. I used my PAN PASTELS to color the moon and owl. 

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=pan+pastel+sets&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=31602127837&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6220478891865653048&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_7i1i6leeht_b 

 I stamped  the image again on craft, cut out, attached with pop dots over top the first image. I colored the eyes, and hat using Prisma Color pencils. I inked edges of card and mats using distress ink. I used a Uni ball white gel pen to add highlighted accents. I added some black pearls on the bats bodies and witch hat. 

I used a 1 1/4" circle punch, cs scrap strips, and MS owl and branch punch to add further detail inside the cards. 

HALLOWEEN LAB- The Chemist

I am in love with Tim Holtz line of products. They are so fun to use and play with. My husband went with me to a local Stamp Convention  at the beginning of the month and bought me a few stamps sets and accessories from his new line (keep checking back to see what I do for the Holidays). I got my inspiration from the SA CHA- Summer 2013 catalog and also the display board at the convention. LOVED IT (so did the hubby).  I think the man image has  got a steam punk vibe and love the idea of using it for Halloween. If you look very close you can see a potion jar hanging from the orange twine. I LOVE this detail. I used Tim Holtz Idea-ology Corked Vials and added a memo pin in the top cork for hanging it onto the twine. I out alcohol ink inside the bottle to tint it the green color. After tinting the background and stamping the image,  I  colored the sleeves, hair, and facial hair using white PrismaColor  Pencil. I added a metal skull and cross bone and red and white vial labels from his idea-ology line. After taking these photos I added distress blank stickles to the spider and orange to the test tube in his hand. 

 I found the German Die Cut spider web at a local Wholesale private sale this past weekend. I thought they were so awesome! I purchased other Holiday foil die cuts at the same sale and will be using them in the near future for holiday projects.  I got the twine out of the trash at one of the schools I work in.  The art dept cleaned out old items and got rid of numerous unused/ old items. The labels on all the twine that I took were dated  1979. All of them were  in perfect condition (not dry rotted). I use it all the time.  Love finds like that...

October 2013 Workshop

 

Here are the projects made at my latest in home workshop. One pop- up (wiper) card, treat gift bags, envelope, and potion bottle. The guests were very pleased with their products. I loved them too. Halloween is my favorite theme to stamp and create. 

#131370 Tag A Bag Gift Bags $3.95, #132156 Witches Brew Washi Tape $4.95, #130580 Halloween Bash stamp set, #132792 Pumpkin Pie Goody Gear Set $4.95 all used for making both gift bags. I love the small cellophane bags kits- so affordable and adorable!

I came across the directions for this card here: 

http://dawnsstampingthoughts.typepad.com/dawns_stampin_studio/

The sentiment ( spooky) pops up when you pull both sides of the card. It was a hit! So cute! Again, I used #130580 Halloween Bash stamp set and #125598 Labels Collection $26.95 to cut out shaped mat. MS spider punch and random brads add the final touches. 

I came across these old Log Cabin Syrup bottles ( the kind we had when I was a kid) at a local estate sale. I knew right away that I wanted to use them for Halloween potion bottles. I dry brushed MM acrylic craft paint ( purple, orange, silver) onto the glass bottles. Allowed to dry overnight. I used #129381 Ovals Collection $26.95 to cut out the oval mats. I used up some older SU paper. I found these glamorous spiders at Hobby Lobby last  fall. The tag was made using Sizzix (Tim Holtz) skull die cut and poison stamp. I used SU # 119854 1 3/4 " scallop punch $16.95

Finished the tag with SU washi tape and black pearl accent. LOVE!

SHADOW BOX DRAWER DISPLAYS

This past Saturday I had some crafty friends over to create these adorable shadow box frames. Everyone brought their own frames and  papers but then used my tools,  embellishments, and ideas to complete their frames. I think everyone of them turned out so adorable. So unique and true to the artisit's style. What do you think?

Michael Symon

My youngest daughter and I drove 45 minutes to a store grand opening just to see Michael Symon. We love him! I adore his personality and his laugh. He's seems so down to earth and everything he cooks looks awesome. He is so interesting to watch when cooking on Iron Chef or The Chew.  I just bought his new cookbook but was unable to get my book signed at the store. Oh well, maybe another time.